'AVATAR' BOMBSHELL: James Cameron sued for ripping off likeness of indigenous actress
A series of movies based on sympathizing with indigenous cultures is allegedly set on the backdrop of hypocritical practices, a new lawsuit is claiming.
James Cameron's billion-dollar "Avatar" franchise has clear messages surrounding protecting native peoples and their environments, but according to a recent legal filing, he has actually been taking advantage of an aboriginal woman over the course of the 16-year lifespan of the films.
'A hugely lucrative film franchise that presented itself as sympathetic to Indigenous struggles.'
Actress Q'orianka Kilcher said that when she played Pocahontas across from Colin Farrell and Christian Bale in 2005's "The New World," director Cameron was so enthralled by her "beauty" that he used her likeness.
Kilcher, who has a native Peruvian background, was allegedly the inspiration for Neytiri, the female lead played by Zoe Saldana.
Face off
As NBC News reported, Kilcher said she had no idea her face was being used until she saw Cameron at an event in 2010 after the first "Avatar" movie was released. She said Cameron invited her to his office and gave her the gift of a sketch drawn and signed by him.
The gift allegedly included a note that said: "Your beauty was my early inspiration for Neytiri. Too bad you were shooting another movie. Next time."
Kilcher was just 14 years old when she played Pocahontas.
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Scan scam?
According to Variety, the legal complaint filed in California said Kilcher's likeness was later replicated in production sketches, sculpted into 3D models, and laser-scanned into digital models to be distributed to visual effects companies. The lawsuit further alleged that Kilcher's likeness was used not only in movies but in posters and promotions across the world.
An interview with Cameron from 2024 was also noted in the filing, in which the director stood in front of the "Avatar" sketch and specifically identified Kilcher.
"The source for this was a photograph that was in the L.A. Times as part of the promotion for 'The New World.' It's a young actress named Q'orianka Kilcher, who played Pocahontas in 'The New World,'" Cameron explained. "So this is actually her lower face. She had a very interesting face, and I wound up meeting her years later, and I gave her a signed print of this."
Don't look back
After this, Cameron specifically told the interviewer that Kilcher was not the true inspiration for Neytiri and that Zoe Saldana — an American from New Jersey with a Dominican and Puerto Rican background — was actually who the character looked like.
"Not that she was the inspiration for the character," Cameron said about Kilcher. "But I just wanted to show how a specific person's look could come through in the character, and that was important, because then the second we cast Zoe, we started, you know, Neytiri suddenly looked like Zoe. So, you know, the question is how did we get to that point."
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'Silently exploiting'
Lawyers for Kilcher said, however, that "what Cameron did was not inspiration; it was extraction."
"[Cameron] took the unique biometric facial features of a 14-year-old indigenous girl, ran them through an industrial production process, and generated billions of dollars in profit without ever once asking her permission. That is not filmmaking. That is theft," said Arnold P. Peter of Peter Law Group.
The lawsuit added, "The result was a hugely lucrative film franchise that presented itself as sympathetic to Indigenous struggles, all while silently exploiting a real Indigenous youth behind the scenes."
Neither Disney nor Lightstorm Entertainment, both of which were named in the lawsuit, responded to Align's request for comment.
Representatives for Cameron did not respond to requests from outlets like NBC News or People, either.
The "Avatar" trilogy has grossed over $1.8 billion at the box office. Two more movies are planned for 2029 and 2031.
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Sara Gonzales calls out left’s hypocrisy over Michael Jackson biopic success
Many leftists pin their hatred of Donald Trump on their unproven claim that he was involved with Jeffrey Epstein — but that isn’t stopping them from supporting an alleged abuser at the box office.
And BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales is tired of the hypocrisy.
“They’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, we hate pedophiles. We are the party against pedophiles, and the Republicans are always protecting pedophiles. If there’s anything we hate, it’s pedophiles,’” Gonzales mocks.
“Actually, that’s historically not been the case. Has not been the case, as documented with all of these Democrats involved with Jeffrey Epstein, but also they have apparently been crawling all over each other to go watch a movie about [an alleged] renowned kiddie diddler,” she continues.
The movie is Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic, which brought in a whopping $218.8 million globally over its opening weekend and became the biggest domestic opening of all time for any biopic.
“Michael Jackson, when it comes to him, technically he was cleared in the legal system in 2005,” Gonzales says, though she isn’t buying it.
And according to a report in People magazine, Gonzales may be on to something.
The report claims that the director of the biopic allegedly made an extra $25 million to remove child sex abuse allegations.
“That’s a lot of money to pay the director and a producer to remove things from the movie if they weren’t true,” Gonzales says, pointing out that it’s not the first time allegations of abuse have been suspiciously squashed.
“You also had the documentary ‘Leaving Neverland,’ which was 2019. And the biggest accusations that came out were highlighted in this. ... But guess what? If you missed it and you want to go back to check it out, you’re not going to be able to see it because the Jackson Estate sued to remove it from the internet, just like they buried it in the movie and got paid off,” she continues. “Are you sensing the trend yet?”
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Chicken-chucking, screaming teens just might save Hollywood
Upon its release earlier this month, “A Minecraft Movie” exploded onto the scene in more ways than one. On a positive note, the film has drawn large audiences to once-empty cinemas and is on track to earn more than $1 billion globally — a welcome vital sign for the American film industry after its decline during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unfortunately, “Minecraft” has also sparked literal explosions of chaos in theaters. Fans, overcome with excitement at scenes like a baby zombie riding a chicken or the introduction of Jack Black’s character, Steve, have reportedly screamed, hurled popcorn and toilet paper, and even tossed live chickens at the screen — leaving staff with colossal messes to clean up afterward.
For most Zoomers, passionate moments of shared interest and fun are virtually nonexistent.
According to my high school students who watched the movie and could explain this bizarre behavior, these outbursts came from people who actually liked the movie. Reading through the mediocre movie reviews, I assumed that fans were disappointed and consequently engaged in shameless hooliganism. Quite the opposite. They were expressing their excitement at the movie’s many references and Easter eggs to the beloved video game.
Reckless or simply fun?
Of course, causing a public ruckus raises concerns about today’s youths who react so strongly to an otherwise silly movie. Such outbursts suggest that the younger Zoomers have pent-up rage, lacking healthy outlets for their aggression. The recent TV series “Adolescence,” which controversially portrayed radicalized youth engaging in violent acts, may have struck closer to the truth than we’d like to admit.
Then again, there might be a good reason to see these rampant outbursts as a salutary development. Not only are young people going to movie theaters and thereby reviving a moribund entertainment industry, but they are also charging a previously stagnant environment with some much-needed energy. This isn’t the glassy-eyed, TikTok-scrolling crowd we’ve come to expect. These lively crowds of young people are sharing an intense moment with a piece of entertainment they all love — not Beatlemania, but “Minecraft mania.”
Dwindling social outlets
Older generations, which have their own experience with various social crazes that brought them and their peers together in effusive exuberance, may not understand just how special this is for young people today.
Previous generations enjoyed countless concerts, movies, video games, and even books that routinely brought together fan communities that frequently became rowdy and occasionally chaotic — and hardly any of it, even for Millennials, was coordinated through online social media.
As a Millennial myself who’s about to turn 40, I remember the insanity at the cinema when the original “Star Wars” trilogy was re-released in anticipation of the prequels. People gasped and cried when they saw a remastered Han Solo or Luke Skywalker. I can also recall driving by bookstores — before Amazon put most of them out of business — observing the long lines of “Harry Potter” devotees decked in their Hogwarts uniforms, eagerly anticipating the next book in the series. More recently, similar fan frenzies were seen with the latest Taylor Swift concert or “Avengers” movies.
At the time, I pitied these nerds who, for all appearances, lost their minds over something seemingly insubstantial. Now, I envy them and yearn for a return to this kind of enthusiasm.
These days, pop culture has become hyper-individualized and mediated through online streaming and social media platforms. Algorithms, not authenticity, inform everyone’s taste. Nothing about it is natural or real. For most Zoomers, passionate moments of shared interest and fun are virtually nonexistent.
Zoomers don’t realize that physically gathering with fellow fans is normal and that such events add up to more than the sum of their parts. They represent rare moments of authentic public celebration. Yes, they usually center around some shallow piece of pop-culture fluff, but they generate a collective spirit that only happens when fans are allowed to “nerd out” and let go with one another for a little while.
Welcome ‘Minecraft mania’
The “Minecraft” chicken jockey mania continues this tradition. One of my students told me that watching “Minecraft” in the theater was the most fun he’s ever had at the cinema. He conceded that the movie is mostly Hollywood slop, but the audience’s reactions made it worth the annoyingly high price of admission.
He and his peers should understand the value of sharing experiences with friends and fellow fans. Active participation beats passive consumption on the couch every time.
Let the next cultural craze bring the same energy and excitement — minus the chicken feathers.
Jesus Christ, superstar: TV hit 'The Chosen' scores on big screen
How bad did "Snow White" flop? Bad enough to get hammered by run-of-the-mill Jason Statham flick "A Working Man" in its second weekend in theaters.
Another title also lapped the Disney dud, except it’s not a movie but part of a long-running TV show.
'This fan base ... they are incredible. They love to gather communally, and they’re all very loyal.'
“The Chosen: Last Supper Part 1” earned a per-screen average of $4,743 last weekend, a thousand-plus more than “Snow White” attracted by the same metric. The show, detailing the life and times of Jesus Christ, has been a sensation from the jump eight years ago.
Early 'Supper'
“Last Supper Part 1,” the beginning of the show’s fifth season, will be available to stream in June on Prime Video and, at a date to be determined, for free via the official “Chosen” app.
Audiences, apparently, couldn’t wait that long.
It shouldn’t be shocking to see “The Chosen” stand tall against Hollywood’s biggest films. “The Chosen” is a consistent moneymaker in theaters courtesy of Fathom Entertainment.
The Colorado-based company first brought the story to the big screen via “Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers.” That 2021 title earned an impressive $13.7 million in select theaters, and a new tradition was born.
The latest theatrical release in the series, “The Chosen: Last Supper Part 1” became the best-selling installment in less than a week with $15 million from U.S. theaters ... and counting. One difference this time? IMAX theaters shared “The Chosen” with fans.
Looking for hope
Ray Nutt, chief executive officer of Fathom Entertainment, says the show’s theatrical success started as the global pandemic started to recede in 2021.
“People were looking for some hope, some faith, and to gather communally,” says Nutt, who previously served as senior vice president of business relations at Regal Entertainment Group.
Fathom Entertainment quickly learned this wasn’t just another faith-based property.
“This fan base ... they are incredible. They love to gather communally, and they’re all very loyal,” Nutt said.
A different approach
Fathom offers an alternative to big studio films and franchises. The company serves up reissues of classic films — think this year’s 50th anniversary rerelease of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” — to indie fare and faith-friendly films like the upcoming “Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality.” That film, detailing the journey of the first Millennial saint, hits theaters April 27.
The company regularly reaches out to faith-based audiences, a group sometimes ignored by traditional Hollywood. The company’s loyalty to faith-friendly titles comes from deep research into that sprawling demographic, Nutt said.
And of course, results.
“We’ve had a lot of luck with Catholic content,” he said, adding that “Mother Teresa: No Greater Love” performed particularly well in 2022. “We’ve drilled down into certain categories where we know there are audiences, and we communicate with them.”
Follow the money
Nutt isn’t surprised to see mainstream Hollywood companies expand their faith-friendly content in recent years. Netflix is currently prepping an update on “The Chronicles of Narnia” by Oscar-nominee Greta Gerwig. Prime Video has found success with the recent “House of David,” already greenlit for a second season.
“Hollywood will follow the money ... we’re very proud we’ve been able to pioneer this space,” he said.
Nutt says Fathom is constantly evaluating its business model to address consumer craving.
One example? This year, Fathom will allow audiences to catch up with recent “Chosen” installments, giving them the chance to “binge” all three season five updates, even if they missed “Last Supper Part 1,” for example.
Part of the Fathom Entertainment model is that films stay in theaters for a limited time. The “Monty Python” rerelease, for example, will be shown on just two nights — May 4 and 7.
The theatrical landscape is undergoing seismic shifts of late. Theatrical windows — the time between a film’s release and its debut on home-streaming platforms — are shrinking. Box office numbers have yet to recover from their pre-pandemic levels. The 2025 box office receipts have been troubling, above and beyond Disney's disappointing "Snow White" tally.
'A very resilient industry'
Nutt remains bullish on the theatrical experience in 2025 and beyond.
“It’s a very resilient industry and somewhat recession proof,” he said, recalling how often observers predicted the theatrical model’s death in the past. Some said the advent of television would strike that mortal blow. Others predicted the dawn of cable television options like HBO would do the same.
Innovation matters on the theatrical level, and we’re seeing that across the industry. Some mainstream theaters are toying with 4DX experiences, where the consumer’s chair moves along with the action on screen, among other enhancements.
For Fathom, it might be as simple as having film historian Leonard Maltin greet audiences with trivia about a beloved film. Nutt compares it to an MLB giveaway, where attendees get a free T-shirt or similar souvenir.
“Our research tells us that’s really working for us,” he said. “If you do something that might be extra, like Fathom does all the time, you’ll get that person no matter what the window is, off the couch and into the movie theater.”
“The Chosen: Last Supper Part 2” (episodes 3-5) debuts April 4, with the third installment (episodes 6-8) arriving April 11. Show fans can choose the “binge-fest” option mid-April.
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